Disclaimer: I own nothing but my original character.
Part 30:
"I'm sorry - what?"
Kae glanced at Sam briefly, then Bobby, and then back at Dean. The accusing glare he gave her seemed to cut through her insides, but she squared her shoulders and glared at him. They'd finally reached Bobby's house a couple of days later, and that was when she and Sam decided to tell him what they'd discussed.
"Deawe talked it over." she told him. "Sam's not going to let him do anything - and even if he tries anything -"
"What are you gonna do, Kae?!" he demanded. "Work some demon magic on him? He's a fucking fallen angel!"
"Dean -" Sam started, but before he could complete his thought, Dean was overriding him.
"No, don't 'Dean' me," he snapped, "I mean, you have had some stupid ideas in the past, but this -" he glared at Bobby. "Did you know about this?"
He shrugged. "I knew about Sam's idea, not Kae's."
"Well thanks for the heads up!"
"Hey this ain't about me," Bobby said.
Dean turned his attention back to Sam and Kae.
"You can't do this." he said angrily.
Kae exchanged a look with Sam.
"Well we agreed we wouldn't if that was the consensus." she said. "But Dean, you can't just -"
Dean's cell phone rang at that moment and he sighed. "This isn't over," he said abruptly before answering it. "Hello?" he frowned. "Cas?"
"Is he okay?" Sam asked quickly.
"We all thought you were dead. Where the hell are you, man?" Dean said, falling silent as he listened to Cas' response. "Are you okay?" He frowned. "You wanna elaborate?"
Kae chose that moment to walk out of the room. She needed some air.
After his conversation with Cas had ended, Dean had wanted to speak (well more like argue) against Kae and Sam's ideas to get Lucifer to the pit. Unfortunately she'd managed to slip from the room.
Bobby told him he'd seen Kae head outside into the salvage yard. Dean found her sitting on the hood of a rusted out four by four.
"Penny for your thoughts," he said.
"Hmm?" She looked up and then rolled her eyes as the saying registered with her brain. "No thanks."
"Aww c'mon," he pouted as he walked over to her. "Normally you wanna talk about shit like this."
She snorted.
"Well that right there really makes me wanna talk about it, D." she said sarcastically. "I mean, Sam and I agreed we wouldn't say it if you guys weren't okay with it - and that's all you had to say. Didn't need to bite our heads off." They fell into an awkward silence that lasted until Kae said, "I just...I don't see how we can get him to the Cage without Sam and I involved."
"But that close, Kae, I..." Dean sighed heavily, leaning forward and bracing his hands on either side of her hips on the car hood.
"Hey, eyes up here if you're gonna keep talkin'," Kae teased when he didn't look up. "Dean, you don't have to protect me. I can handle -"
"You keep saying that but I know you're scared as fuck." He chose this moment to look up at her. "I saw the look on your face when he was holding you. You really think you can handle him doing - that to you?"
"Hell no," she replied. "but if it means he'll trust me enough when I lead his ass to the Cage, I'll do it."
"Serenity Valley Convalescent Home," Kae looked out at the home from the back seat of the Impala. "So this is Dr. Evil's lair, huh?"
Sam sighed. "It's kind of more depressing than evil."
It's like a four-color brochure for dying young. Of course, to Pestilence, it's probably Dollywood in there."
Kae snorted.
"Dollywood? Really?"
Dean didn't respond. Sam groaned.
"Great. A whole building full of people." he said.
"Human shields...just like Niveus. Smart bastards." Kae muttered. "We don't know who's human, who's demon, and who's Pestilence. So what do we do?"
Dean thought about it for a moment then reached for the door handle.
"Hang on."
" Hey. Hi. Uh, I'm looking for my Nana. Uh, her name is Eunice Kennedy."
"Go around front and see the nurse."
"Eunice Kennedy?" Kae hissed incredulously at Sam. "Who does he think he's kidding?!"
Sam shrugged silently and they waited until the security guard at the front desk had cleared them to go through. What Kae wasn't expecting was for him
"Beauty of improv," Dean muttered as they walked down the hall. "You never know what's gonna come out of your mouth."
"Was knocking him out really neccessary?" Kae wanted to know.
"Couldn't risk it. We're short on time." he answered
"So...what are we looking for?" Sam asked.
"Well, he's Pestilence, so he probably looks sick."
"Not neccessarily." Kae reasoned. "Probably trying to blend in as a doctor. Instead of helping people he's killing them. What?" Sam and Dean stared at her in shock. "Common sense, guys. Let's move."
They made their way down one hallway where Sam and Dean started showing signs of getting sick.
"Ugh," Sam coughed, "Must be getting close."
"You think?" Dean said irritably, and Kae rushed to grab him as he went down onto his knees. "Hey. Why...why aren't you...?" The rest of the question was lost in a violent coughing fit.
"Hell if I know," Kae sighed. "Look," she turned to Sam, but he had collapsed. "Look I can't -"
"Kae, whatever - whatever this is," Sam wheezed, looking up at her desperately, mouth covered in blood. "You...have to finish it."
"Kaelyn Thomas?" a feminine voice asked, and she whirled around to see a nurse in pink scrubs smirking at her, her eyes obscurred by demonic black. "Sam and Dean Winchester? The doctor will see you now."
"Hmm. Your boys don't look well, Kae."
Kae stared back at Pestilence defiantly. They'd moved (with the asisstance of Pestilence's demon lackeys dragging Sam and Dean with them) into an empty exam room.
"What did you do to them?" she demanded.
He shrugged, smiling at her curiously. It made her nervous.
"It might be the, uh, Scarlet fever. Or, uh, the meningitis. Oh! Or the syphilis. That's no fun. However you boys feel right now?" he looked down at the two men near death on the floor. "It's gonna get so very, very much worse. Questions?"
"I've got one, you fucking jackass," Kae said promptly. "Why not me too?"
"It's rude to interrupt, Kae." Pestilence replied pleasantly. "But you've got to ask yourself, why would I try and harm Lucifer's concubine?" he scoffed. "I can't. Boss's got his own special block on me. And Death. Not allowed to harm 'The Missus'. He knows about the deal you made with that rat Crowley too. You can consider that void."
Kae stared at him in shock. That deal was the only thing securing Dean's safety - what the hell -?
"Fuck you." she managed to choke out.
"Sorry, can't. Would definitely love to, but can't." he smirked as his eyes settled on her chest before travelling back up to her face. "Disease gets a bad rap, don't you think? For being filthy. Chaotic. Uh, but, really, t-that just describes people who get sick. Disease itself... Very...Pure...Single-minded. Bacteria have one purpose -divide and conquer." Pestilence took the oportunity to step on Dean's hand and he let out a weak cry. "That's why, in the end...It always wins. So, you've got to wonder why God pours all his love into something so messy...And 's ridiculous. All I can do is show him he's wrong, one epidemic at a time. Now..." he looked from Sam to Dean and back to Sam. "On a scale of 1 to 10, how's your pain?"
Suddenly the door to the room opened and Cas walked in.
"Cas!" cried Kae, kneeling down next to Dean. "How'd you get here?"
"I took a bus," was the answer he gave before turning to Pestilence, "Don't worry, I -" Suddenly he fell to the floor in a coughing fit.
Pestilence grinned.
"Well look at that," he commented. "An occupied vessel, but powerless. Oh that's fascinating. There's not a speck of angel left in you, is there?"
Cas managed to make it a bit closer on his knees - close enough that he could grab the knife Kae quickly handed him and cut off two of Pestilence's fingers.
"Maybe just a speck," he said roughly.
"It doesn't matter," Pestilence rasped as he fell to the floor. "It's too late."
Kae turned away from the dying horseman to Dean, who was staring back at her.
"What did he mean?" she asked.
"Dunno." he groaned as he sat up.
"Hey take it easy," she cautioned, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm fine," he replied. before looking at Sam. "Sammy? You alright?"
Sam nodded. "Yeah. Cas?"
The angel nodded and got to his feet. "What now?"
Dean sighed.
"Bobby's house." he said after thinking about it. "He should have some idea what's up."
"Okay."
Back at Bobby's house, Cas and Kae had taken the living room for themselves while Sam and Dean spoke with Bobby in his study.
"So...Pestilence couldn't harm you? At all?"
Kae shook her head and Cas stared at her in amazement. "What?"
"He's planning for it to be soon if he's prevented Pestilence from harming you." he replied. "I assume he's done the same with Death."
"That's what he said," she replied before taking a sip of water. "Pestilence."
"Definitely soon." Cas murmured. "Interesting."
"What I find interesting is that Heaven cut you off." she replied, leaning back on the couch. "You're one of them."
He shook his head. "I stopped being 'one of them' a long time ago, Kae."
"I think I'm going to say it to Lucifer." she said softly. "Before you ask, they already know." she jerked her head toward the study. "Sam and I talked it over...with Sam's idea to jump in the pit once Lucifer is in his body."
"Sam thinks he wants to say it as well?" Cas' eyes widened.
"Uh-huh." Kae paused. "I want to know what you think."
Cas' expression turned thoughtful. He opened his mouth to reply but at that moment Sam poked his head in the room.
"Uh, guys? You're gonna want to hear this."
"No way!" Kae stared at Bobby in shock. "You sold your soul?!"
"As I've already told your companions, no. He pawned it." Crowley sighed exasperatedly. "I will give it back."
"Oh bullshit." she snapped.
"No I will," Crowley insisted, "but not yet."
"Did he kiss you?" Sam asked Bobby suddenly, and Kae and Dean rounded on him.
"Sam!" Dean snapped.
His brother shrugged. "Just wondering."
"No!" Bobby exclaimed, but Crowley smirked and held up his phone. On the screen they could see a picture that indeed showed Bobby and Crowley in a lip-lock. When Kae looked at Bobby he looked very uncomfortable. "Why'd you have to take a picture?"
"Why'd you have to use tongue?" Crowley retorted.
"Alright. You know what?" Dean said angrily. "I'm sick of this. Give him his soul back now."
"Sorry I can't."
"You just said you would!" Kae exclaimed.
"All in good time, love," Crowley said easily, "It's insurance."
Kae took a step toward him, her knife raised. "What are you talking about?"
"You lot kill demons. Gigantor over there has a temper issue about it. But you won't kill me...as long as I have that soul in the deposit box."
"You son of a bitch," Bobby growled as Kae lunged, her knife held high.
"Kae don't!" Dean grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
Kae put the knife away but the look she gave Crowley said she wanted him dead.
"I will kill you." she threatened. "One day when this shitstorm is over, you're dead. Understand?"
Crowley rolled his eyes.
"Considering you're my bitch when this is all over, I don't see how that's possible."
"You didn't hear?" Kae said coldly. "Pestilence told me Lucifer found out about our bargain. It's void." She smiled at the look of shock on his face. "Yeah. Sucks, doesn't it?"
"Enough," Bobby intervened. "Are you gonna return it or not?"
"I'll return it," Crowley agreed, still looking at Kae. "After all this is over, and I can walk safely away. Do we all understand each other?"
No one answered him.
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